Imagine that you had a time machine that took you back to the Buddha's day (along with a universal translator straight out of Star Trek). Imagine further that you were able to speak with the Teacher. Let's say that he is 72 years old and the year is about 412 B.C.E. Devadatta has already tried to cause a schism. What question or three would you ask him (that you wouldn't mind posting here)?

Think of it as a way to bring to mind Buddhist mysteries or uncertainties that you might wish to investigate or issues in Buddhism that are important to you.

I think I’d ask the following:1. "What form of meditation do you teach?” or “Would you guide me in meditation?”2. “How would you describe the experience of recollecting your past lives?”3. “How does the world appear to you?”

I am very interested to know what you would ask the Buddha if you could.

1. I would ask him to take me to the deva realm like he did with one of his disciple and tell me about my past lives.2. I would ask him to give me a personal Dhamma lessons to help me achieve jhanas and liberation from the taints.3. I would ask him for ordination.

Then once I attain arahatship I would transport myself into the minute after which I left so the family wouldn't miss me too much (though they'd probably be disturbed by the fact that I aged 20 years!)

What is more important on a daily basis: Loving-kindness or equanimity?What is more important: Sutta study or meditation?What is the one most important thing I can do at this moment?Can you teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that it can be understood in our world?

Since you have died there have been many divergent ways of understanding your teachings. What would you say to the Tibetans? the Japanese? Since you have died your Dhamma has come to the west. Do we understand it correctly?Since you have died we are reading commentaries of the comments. There are so many extrapolations of your words. Should we pay attention? Or just read the Suttas?

sukhamanveti wrote:I am very interested to know what you would ask the Buddha if you could.

Actually the first thing i thot of was that id give him a peice of chocolate.

"When you meditate, don't send your mind outside. Don't fasten onto any knowledge at all. Whatever knowledge you've gained from books or teachers, don't bring it in to complicate things. Cut away all preoccupations, and then as you meditate let all your knowledge come from what's going on in the mind. When the mind is quiet, you'll know it for yourself. But you have to keep meditating a lot. When the time comes for things to develop, they'll develop on their own. Whatever you know, have it come from your own mind.http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai ... eleft.html

Wind wrote:1. I would ask him to take me to the deva realm like he did with one of his disciple and tell me about my past lives.2. I would ask him to give me a personal Dhamma lessons to help me achieve jhanas and liberation from the taints.3. I would ask him for ordination.

How would you deal with it if his replies to your first two questions was

1. To smile and say that those were poetic metaphors.2. To tell you to concentrate on other goals rather than the Jhanas ?

How did you really feel about leaving your wife and son?How do you really feel about women seeking ordination?What really is your stance on Buddhists eating meat, even if they have not killed it, or had it killed for them? What is your view on euthanasia for a terminally suffering being (animal or otherwise)l?

That would, for me at least, clear up some of the more mundane questions I've seen argued here and there....And I know it's four, but alan - come on - 10!!!